A toy story

By Amy B. McCraw tnw writer

Wednesday

Dec 26, 2007 at 12:01 AM

Toys may not top the list of critical needs for hospitals. Yet nurses and doctors know what a healing touch teddy bears, coloring books and puzzles can provide to children who are frightened or bewildered when they are hospitalized or visiting sick friends and relatives.

That's why officials at Transylvania Community Hospital are praising Allison Hawkins, a high school student whose senior project will help ease the anxiety of countless children who visit the hospital each year.

Hawkins, a 17-year-old Brevard High School senior and a nominee for the Morehead Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, devoted her senior project to a toy drive that collected more than $1,200 worth of new toys, games, puzzles and books for pediatric patients at the hospital.

The toys were donated to the hospital on Nov. 29 and are available to children who visit its various departments. The donation is equivalent to the hospital's budget for toys for two years, hospital officials say.

Hawkins wants to be a pediatrician and decided to focus her senior project on finding toys for boys and girls who visit the hospital after reading about something similar mentioned on a Girl Scout website.

"It took me a while to come to this," Hawkins says. "But when I did, it was like a light bulb going off. I wanted to do something community service oriented. I didn't want to do something that would just benefit me."

Hawkins began calling area businesses in September asking for donations of either toys or money to buy them. She was pleased with the response from business owners who either donated or offered helpful suggestions.

In the process, Hawkins also learned she could overcome her shy tendencies and reach out to strangers for help, Hawkins says.

"I'm not the most outgoing person there is," she says. "But while I might not feel comfortable, I can do it."

Hawkins also received a helping hand from Becky Carter, the hospital's chief operating officer. Carter, who has a background in pediatric nursing and was familiar with senior projects through her daughter, readily agreed to serve as Hawkins mentor during the project.

"I was sympathetic and grateful because someone mentored my daughter last year," Carter says. "It is kind of a pass it on thing."

With Carter's guidance, Hawkins developed a plan for her project. She found toys that were appropriate for children of various ages. She also had to decide whether the toys would be given away to children or kept at the hospital and reused.

In addition, Hawkins also figured out what purpose the toys would provide. Would it be a stuffed animal used to reward a child who bravely underwent surgery? Or, would it be a bubble blowing game used to distract a younger sibling worried about a sick brother or sister?

"Play is important work for children when they need to cope with their environment," Carter says.

Hawkins also met with the directors of each area of the hospital to determine their toy needs. She reviewed storage requirements, each department's capacity to clean the toys and determined what age children were typically served. Then she was able to come up with a variety of toys to meet the needs of each department.

Hawkins took each task seriously and came up with a variety of toys to meet the needs of each department, Carter says.

"She is so self-motivated, she required very little from me," Carter says.

Now that her project is complete, Hawkins is looking forward to visiting the hospital to see how the donated toys are being used. "Hopefully, I can get over there and see what's going on," she says.

The toys are already making a difference at the hospital.

"Allison serves as a wonderful example of a young person doing something that really makes a difference in her community," Carter said. "These donated items will help comfort both young patients and their families while they are in our hospital."

Senior projects are a three-part process that includes a physical project, a research paper and a presentation to a panel of judges. Students also work with teacher mentors and mentors with expertise in the field they are exploring.

By the end of the last school, senior projects were required at each of Henderson County's high schools by the end of the year. North Carolina is mandating senior projects as a graduation requirement, beginning with the class of 2010. As a result, many area high schools have phased in senior projects over the last few years.

Hawkins logged more than 29 hours on the project with the hospital. Those hours did not include the time she devoted to her research paper. She finished her board presentations recently.

Hawkins became interested in becoming a doctor in the sixth grade after her class was asked to consider what professions they might pursue.

"I'm not sure what clicked, but something did," she said of her growing interest in medicine.

Hawkins enjoys classes in biology, physiology and anatomy. And children inspire her.

"I love working with kids," she says. "If I don't go into medicine, I know I want to teach in some way."

In addition to completing her senior project, Hawkins began working in September as a volunteer in the pharmacy at Transylvania County's free medical clinic. Hawkins also serves as president of her school's chapter of the National Honor Society, an editor on the school's yearbook, a member of the Spanish club and is a member of the soccer team.

She is at the top of her class with a 3.9 grade point average and hopes to attend either UNC or Davidson College.

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